What stops Muslims from chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai – Faith or Communal Indoctrination?

Mumbai, Mar 14: The latest speech delivered by right-wing Muslim leader Asaduddin Owaisi has sparked a fresh debate in the nation’s political circles with people questioning his staunch stance against the slogan of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai‘. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president was replying to his saffron counterpart Mohan Bhagwat. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief had raised the demand of teaching children of all future generations to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai‘. For a lay observer, the statements made by Owaisi would prima facie appear ‘communal’, ‘exclusionist’ and for some, even ‘anti-national’. But for theoretically-rooted Muslims, the statements are more than justified. What stops Muslims from chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai – faith or communal indoctrination? If basic Islamic tenets are taken into consideration, then the matter pertains to faith. A casual interpretation ofBharat Mata ki Jai, roughly translates to ‘Long Live Indian motherland!’ However, this slogan has somehow been appropriated by the Hindu ‘right’ who have subtly mixed it with religion. For RSS and all its affiliated organization, ‘Bharat Mata’ is not just their motherland but a deity who deserves to be worshipped. If this context is taken into account, then Bharat Mata ki Jai is a slogan which gets easily equated with religious salutation towards Mother India (considered as a deity here). And theological principles of Islam prohibits Muslims from worshipping anyone else apart from Allah. It is due to this right-wing appropriation of Bharat Mata ki Jai, that fringe leaders within Muslim community had the opportunity to use it as a tool of isolation. If Bharat Mata ki Jai would had merely been a slogan of patriotism rather than religious nationalism, it might not had been a taboo for the minority community. Owaisi’s fierce rhetoric against the slogan of Bharat Mata ki Jai also brings back the debate surrounding Vande Mataram. Those living in communally sensitive regions are well aware of the intimidating slogans being raised by saffron outfits saying, “Agar Bharat rehna hai toh, Vande Mataram kehna hoga (If you want to live in India, you have to chant Vande Mataram)”. Penned by freedom fighter Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882, Vande Mataram was the poem which was demanded by Hindu Mahasabha to be adopted as national anthem upon our freedom. However, their intention to promote it as the national anthem was again rooted in the concept of religious nationalism. Vande Mataram roughly translates to ‘bending (in respect) towards Mother India’. This again raised issues with conservative Muslims who believe that bending (in submission) or sajdah should only be made for Allah rather than any other deity. The communal connotations being attached to the beautiful poem has sadly turned an ordinary Muslim averse to Vande Mataram. Therefore, it should be concluded that both – hardline interpretation of Islam and communal indoctrination from community leaders are responsible for refraining Muslims from chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai and singing Vande Mataram.   India.com